Truth:

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 (New Living Translation)

Thought:

“I am not my own. I have been bought with a price. I belong to God. I have been chosen before the foundation of the world. I have been set apart and called holy. I am His.” These are words I often find coming from my lips to remind myself and satan whose I am. They just bubble up to encourage me.

I have had the experience of hearing the audible voice of God set me apart and it absolutely wrecked my life. I can only explain it as feeling so insignificant and yet so highly valued that the only response left to me was unadulterated awe.

Sixteen years later, I know it wasn’t just for a moment in time. We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken so we need to worship Him acceptably with all reverence and awe, because our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29).

So why do we relate to Him only as a friend?

Being chosen by a friend, really isn’t that significant. Being chosen by the one who spoke the 400 million stars in this galaxy and the 400 million galaxies in this universe and potentially unlimited universes into being is highly significant.

It is for me… and it needs to be for you.

You are chosen, set apart, taught, loved and empowered by the Great I AM, the ever-living Father, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last – GOD.

How life-wrecking is that?

Oh, that you may have the spirit of wisdom and revelation that you may know the hope to which you have been called, the glorious inheritance in the saints and the incomparably great power for all who believe.

A friend sent this to me in an email. I usually don’t pass them along, but this one caught my eye. Why do you think it’s shaped like a bell? I think it’s because we all need a wake up call to our true identity in Christ.

I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God’s child (John 1:12)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I am united with the Lord(1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price(1 Cor. 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ  (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth ( Matt.5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ(1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor.5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God( Rom.8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit  (John 15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil.  4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15:1-5)
I am God’s temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2:10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified(Romans 5:1)
I am God’s co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God’s workmanship(Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected  (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14). I have been adopted as God’s child(Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
who you are!?

You’re chosen. The accuser can’t touch you. Know who you are in Christ and live out of that revelation today.

Prayer:

Eternal Father, grant me the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I will know the hope to which I have been called, the glorious inheritance in the saints and the incomparably great power for all who believe. I am Yours. I have been bought with a price. I belong to You. I have been chosen before the foundation of the world.

Challenge:

Go over all the truths in the personalized Identity in Christ you printed off from LifeAbovetheNegativity.com. We didn’t have time to cover them all directly, but other the next few days we’ll be covering some of them from another angle. They are truth and truth is life so read them, pray them, declare them, pronounce them, know them, and live out of them.

Declaration:

I choose to believe what God says about me. I choose to live out of what I choose to believe. I choose to replace the lies that have attached themselves to wounds from my past with the truth of how God sees my situation and me.

Truth:

O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, Nehemiah 1:5 (New International Version)

Thought:

Most people never see this in me because I’m socially bold, but I am really rather shy. I get my energy when I’m alone. I don’t “need” people to be around. I tend to think of myself as an introvert.

If you’re anything like that, you may find all the “one another” commands a little overwhelming… here are just a few:

Romans 12:10 (NIV)
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:16 (NIV)
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Romans 14:13 (NIV)
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s or sister’s way.

Romans 15:7 (NIV)
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)
I appeal to you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Galatians 5:13 (NIV)
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 5:21 (NIV)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Colossians 3:13 (NIV)
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

1 Peter 1:22 (NIV)
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

I could be intimidated by that list too, but I’ve learned a secret so that it’s not difficult for me to fulfill these commands. I’ve found that when I’m a friend with someone, I naturally do all of these things.

I have patience for them, I rejoice with them, I cry with them, I encourage them, I forgive them, I give way to them, I honor them and I look out for their interests. My secret is to make friends.

And I make friends knowing I can show them love, because God has shown love to me.

1 John 4:11 (NIV)
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one
another.

Because God loves us, we can show love that’s sincere to others.

Aren’t you convinced that you’re loved? If you’ve printed off your personalized Identity in Christ then read it to yourself and study the verses until you’re convinced. If you haven’t printed it off, go to LifeAbovetheNegativity.com and do it right now.

Paul prayed for you when he prayed for the church in Ephesus:

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (New International Version)

If you don’t believe it, make sure to print off the personalized book of Ephesians when you’re at the site.

You are loved! Be filled with God’s love!

Prayer:

Oh Lord, that I would know the width and height and depth of Your love for me, so that I may experience this love that surpasses understanding. Lord, let Your love surround and encompass me so that it overflows from me to all You’ve placed in my web of relationships.

Challenge:

Do you feel like a really big challenge today? Memorize your personalized Identity in Christ. Repeat the “I am Loved” portion out loud until you can say it in your sleep.

Declaration:

I choose to believe what God says about me. I choose to live out of what I choose to believe. I choose to replace the lies that have attached themselves to wounds from my past with the truth of how God sees my situation and me.